 |
 |
January 2010
| Arborio Rice Salad with Lemon Shrimp & Celery 8 to 10 servings 3 qt. water, salted 3 cups arborio rice 5 lemons, zest and juice 1 cup virgin olive oil 1 lb. shrimp 3 garlic cloves, sliced 2 cups celery stalks, halved and sliced 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped 1 cup flat parsley, coarsely chopped cup basil leaves, coarsely chopped 20 black olives, pitted and halved (optional) Salt and pepper Bring 3 quarts salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add the rice and cook until al dente, about 16 minutes. Drain rice and rinse under cold running water. Set aside to drain thoroughly. Place the rice in a large bowl and toss in the lemon zest and juice. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp and garlic and saut until shrimp are cooked. Remove from heat and add to the rice with remaining cup plus 2 tbsp. olive oil. Stir in celery, egg, parsley, basil and olives. Mix all ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper. Braised rabbit with artichokes 8 to 10 servings This can also be made with chicken, but of course you would joint the chicken differently. 2 whole rabbits 2 cups vegetable oil lb. butter 2 carrots, peeled and sliced 2 med. onions, peeled and sliced 10 cloves garlic, unpeeled and crushed 1 bottle white wine 1 quart stock or water 2 bay leaves 2 thyme stalks Salt and pepper Cooked artichokes (see other recipe) Optional: Blanched carrots, green beans and mushrooms Method to prepare rabbit: First remove the kidneys. With a paring knife, cut the diaphragm and remove the livers and heart. Set aside in the refrigerator to make the skewered brochette to serve with the rabbit. Cut off the head at neck, close to the body. Cut across just above the hind legs and remove. Next cut down the backbone to remove with the remaining tail. Cut each leg at natural joint, in 2 pieces. Chop the knuckle off the drumstick and cut out the hip bone. Chop the thigh into 2 more pieces. You will have 6 pieces of hind leg meat. Now cut behind the ribs at an angle to remove them and the fore legs. Then cut off the fore legs at the joint; disjoint each again into 2 pieces. You will have 4 pieces of fore leg meat. Next cut through the backbone of the ribs; remove the curved rib bones for stock. You have created 2 pieces of rabbit racks. With the remaining saddle of rabbit, season the interior loin section with salt and pepper. Fold the flaps over the loin, then tie with 4 pieces of string evenly spaced. Once they are tied, cut between the string across the backbone to create 4 loin cuts. Set all the cuts in the refrigerator until you are ready to braise the rabbit. To make the stock: Rabbit neck, hip bones, backbones and ribs as indicated in method 1 carrot 1 onion 1 celery stalk 1 bay leaf 2 thyme sprigs Parsley stems Cracked peppercorns Method: In the meantime, if you want to make a stock, chop the neck from the head; then brown along with the remaining hip bones, backbones and ribs in a pot. Chop the carrot, onion and celery stalk and add these to the rabbit bones; brown lightly, then cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and skim the foam. Add 1 bay leaf, 2 thyme sprigs, parsley stems and a few cracked peppercorns. Reduce heat to medium for a slow boil. Let cook about 1 hour. Strain and reserve the stock for the dish. To finish the braised rabbit preparation: Method: In a deep saute pan, heat half the oil and butter. In batches, first brown the leg meat and remove. Add the remaining oil and butter, and brown the saddle loin chops. When done, remove the rabbit meat from the pan. Add the sliced carrot and onion and crushed garlic, then return all the meat except the rack to the pan. Pour over the wine and bring to a boil. Then add the stock or water, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and continue a heavy simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the small racks and let cook another 15 minutes, until the meat is tender and done. Remove the meat to a platter and strain the sauce. Put the sauce back in the pot, add the cooked artichokes. (Optional: If you wish, add blanched carrots, green beans and mushrooms.) Cook just until everything is warm and pour over the rabbit. Now serve with creamy polenta. This recipe may seem difficult, but I wanted to remember how Chef Eric cut the rabbit so you can have a butcher do all that for you. You may also use chicken stock instead of water for more flavor. " Carole Breton short cake (sable) 11 oz./300 g unsalted butter 1 lb. 2 oz./500 g flour tsp./3 g baking powder 6 oz./200 g granulated sugar Pinch salt 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped 5 egg yolks 3 tbsp./5 cl water Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and vanilla seeds together. Cut the butter in small chunks and work into dry ingredients quickly to form a coarse sand texture. Beat the yolks lightly with water and add to the flour mix, to form a dough. Work quickly to make a smooth dough. Roll into a ball and flatten; allow to rest in the refrigerator, for at least one hour. When ready, toll out on a lightly floured surface or between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Cut with round rings, prick with a fork, and let rest and cool. To make tarts (sables): Bake in preheated 350 oven for approximately 10 minutes, until golden. Place sugar in saute pan with nothing else and cook to make a light caramel, watching carefully not to overcook. Cut the plums in half and remove pits. Julienne peeled fresh ginger. Cut vanilla beans in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds to add to the plums. Have dark rum ready. Add the plums, ginger, vanilla bean and scraping to the caramel; saute a couple of minutes. Pour a bit of dark rum over the plums. Cook about 5 minutes to reduce and cook the plums. With a skimmer, remove the plums and reduce the cooking caramel to a light syrup. When ready to serve, place the short cakes on a plate, mound with plums, and spoon ginger syrup over. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. |